As techniques of acquiring a high-dynamic range image, a method of providing an imaging device of a logarithmic transformation type, and a method of employing two imaging devices to perform shooting with different amounts of exposure, such that the two images are merged, are known. Also known is a method of acquiring images with different exposure times via time division, and merging them.
Patent Document 1 discloses a method where, in order to correct for pixel-to-pixel nonuniformity in sensitivity of an imaging apparatus of a logarithmic transformation type, imaging data pertaining to uniform light irradiation, which is stored in a memory, is subtracted from the imaging data of each pixel.
Patent Document 2 discloses a method of splitting the optical path with a prism, and performing imaging with two imaging devices under different shooting conditions (amounts of exposure).
The method of obtaining images with different exposure times via time division and merging them has a problem in that, since the subject is being shot via time division, image misalignments due to lapse of time may occur if the subject is moving, thus detracting from image continuity. Patent Document 3 discloses a technique of correcting for image misalignments in such an approach.